Noah Lyles kept his hopes for the sprint double at the Olympics alive Saturday night, coming from behind to win the 200 meters at the US track trials in 19.53 seconds, the fastest time in the world this year.
Lyles added the 200, his signature race and the distance at which he is a three-time world champion, to the 100 he won last weekend.
It was no blowout, as Lyles had to race to the line to pass Kenny Bednarek with about 10 meters left and beat him by .06 seconds. Erriyon Knighton, racing for the first time this year at trials after being cleared after an investigation about eating drug-tainted meat, finished third and made his second Olympic team.
Lyles’ 19.53 broke an Olympic trials record of 19.66 held by Michael Johnson since 1996.
Lyles will head to Paris hoping to make up for his only loss in the 200 at a major meet – which came when he struggled with depression and finished third in 2021 at the Tokyo Games.
“I’ve said it all season but it helps to not have depression,” he told NBC in the post-race interview. “I thank God every day … for getting me through each and every round. Healthy, mentally and physically.”
The Lyles victory came about 90 minutes after this meet’s other big name, Sha’Carri Richardson, slowed down in the homestretch of the women’s 200 and finished fourth, depriving her a chance to race in both sprints. Gabby Thomas won that title.
Then, to underscore the point that there are no sure things in track, Lyles found himself trailing Bednarek with about 10 steps to go in the 200.
Instead of trying for an American or world record, as he suggested the night before that he might, Lyles simply had to hold off Bednarek, who adds this second-place finish to his second in the 100 and also has a chance for hardware in both races in Paris.
“I had it but I tightened up a little bit, so I’m gonna get him next time,” Bednarek said. “I’m on his case.”